This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Cooling systems, refrigeration systems, heat-pump systems, and other climate-control systems typically include a condenser, an evaporator, an expansion device disposed between the condenser and evaporator, and a compressor circulating fluid between the condenser and the evaporator. The compressor may be one of any number of different compressors. For example, the compressor may be a reciprocating compressor or a scroll compressor that selectively circulates fluid among the various components of a cooling, refrigeration, or heat-pump system. Regardless of the particular type of compressor employed, consistent and reliable operation of the compressor is required to ensure that the cooling, refrigeration, or heat-pump system in which the compressor is installed is capable of consistently and reliably providing a cooling and/or heating effect on demand.
Compressors of the type described above often include a compression mechanism that compresses the fluid, thereby circulating the fluid within the refrigeration, cooling, or heat-pump system. Depending on the particular type of compressor, a drive shaft may be used to impart a force on and drive the compression mechanism. In order to reduce vibration of the compressor, such a drive shaft may include one or more counterweights that are sized and positioned relative to the drive shaft to rotationally balance the drive shaft. While the counterweight improves operation of the drive shaft and, thus, the compression mechanism, rotation of the counterweight may cause undesirable windage and/or oil circulation due to rotation within a shell of the compressor. Excessive oil circulation reduces the overall efficiency of the cooling, refrigeration, or heat-pump system, as oil within each system prevents optimal heat transfer within the condenser unit and evaporator unit of each system.